


Beware of thrown stones

by Vasilisian



Series: Daily Drabbles [4]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Charlie is Shook, Gen, Yikes, also Jennie realizes that she might have made a mistake, and Alexander loses his shit in unexpected ways, the broom arrives
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-15
Updated: 2019-05-15
Packaged: 2020-03-05 22:16:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18837865
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vasilisian/pseuds/Vasilisian
Summary: (you don't know what you might awaken in the lake)The broom arrives, Gryffindor celebrates, Alexander is furious, and Jennie realizes she might be in over her head





	Beware of thrown stones

**Author's Note:**

> The dates are messed up in this, I forgot that Charlie wouldn't have had the chance to show his skill yet at the beginning of second year, so I need him to be a third year. But that messes with some of the dates and times I mentioned in the first drabble, which I can't be bothered to fix. So from now on, he's a third-year, although Jennie is still a second-year.

Nearly every eye in the Great Hall was drawn to the three owls carrying a broom-shaped package, a few sighs of envy heard from the other tables when they aimed for the Gryffindor table. Jennie barely kept herself from grinning like a lunatic as she watched them land in front of Charlie Weasley, the boy's expression one of shock and disbelief even though his name was written on the note attached to the box.

His classmates prodded him into action, another wave of shock rippling through the hall when the brown paper was ripped away to reveal the distinctive Nimbus logo. Jennie couldn't keep herself from standing up in her seat to try and get a better view, but half the school was doing the same thing, so nobody paid any attention to her. She nearly crowed in victory when he opened the case and pulled out the flawless Nimbus out with reverent hand, before her attention was drawn back to her own table.

Alexander was standing on the bench, eyes locked on the broom in Charlie Weasley's hands, and she watched with glee as his face turned red. Veins on his neck bulged, his clenched jaw obvious even from here. Then there was a bone-chilling crack, which turned several heads to their table, and Alexander half-fell off the bench, holding his jaw.

Holy crap, he'd broken something! Jennie thought about feeling guilty for approximately two seconds, then decided to enjoy his misery while it lasted, since Madam Pomfrey would fix it in moments. Greg hauled him to his feet and walked with him out of the hall, Jennie incapable of holding back a snicker when the pair stumbled past her. Alexander's eyes snapped to her, taking in her smug expression, and they widened with realization.

She nearly flinched away from him when his face twisted with hatred, but still raised her chin defiantly. If he hadn't been injured, he would have cursed her right then and there for that, she could see that well enough, but he let himself be dragged off by Greg. Once he was gone, Jennie slumped in her seat, avoiding the gazes of her housemates and picked at her food.

The celebration two tables over suddenly didn't bring her satisfaction. Instead, it ground at her nerves until she couldn't take it anymore, yanking her bag over her shoulder as she fled the hall. She didn't go to the dorms, nor the library, where they would think to look for her. Nor did she go directly to the Charms classroom, instead taking the stairs all the way to the top floor, aiming for the nook she'd found last year while hiding from her housemates.

Once safely hidden away behind the tapestry, Jennie let her bag slide off her shoulder onto the floor. Climbing onto the padded seat and bringing her knees up to her chest, she hid her face from the weak sunlight streaming in through the window. She didn't cry, knew she wouldn't be able to stop for a while and class was in ten minutes, but there was nothing she could do about the shaking.

She'd forgotten. In her excitement to get one over Alexander, she'd forgotten that he'd grown up in the middle of the War, and that he'd been on the winning side. She wasn't just some annoying brat to him, she was a lesser race, a thief deserving of death. And she'd just betrayed her entire house just to spite him by buying Charlie that broom, a house filled with people who held the same beliefs.

God, what had she done?


End file.
